GE FNSF31Z01 用户手册

5

When the water softening system is providing soft water, it is called “Service.” During service, hard

water flows from the house main water pipe into the water softening system. Inside the water softening

system resin tank is a bed made up of thousands of tiny, plastic resin beads. As hard water passes

through the bed, each bead attracts and holds the hard minerals. This is called ion-exchanging. It is

much like a magnet attracting and holding metals. Water without hard minerals (soft water) flows

from the water softening system and to the house pipes.
After a period of time, the resin beads become coated with hard minerals and they have to 

be cleaned. This cleaning is called regeneration, or recharge. Regeneration is started at 2:00 AM

(factory setting) by the water softening system control, and consists of five stages or cycles. These are 
FILL, BRINING, BRINE RINSE, BACKWASH

and FAST RINSE.

For emergency needs, hard water is available to

the home during the regeneration cycles. 

Salt dissolved in water is called brine. Brine is

needed to clean the hard minerals from the 

resin beads. To make the brine, water flows into 

the salt storage area during the fill stage as shown.

During brining, brine travels from the salt 

storage area into the resin tank. Brine is the

cleaning agent needed to remove hard minerals

from the resin beads. The hard minerals and

brine are discharged to the drain.
The nozzle and venturi create a suction to move

the brine, maintaining a very slow rate to get the

best resin cleaning with the least salt.

After a pre-measured amount of brine is used, 

the brine valve closes. Water continues to flow 

in the same path as during brining, except for the

discontinued brine flow. Hard minerals and 

brine flush from the resin tank to the drain

.

During backwash, water travels up through the resin

tank at a fast flow rate, flushing accumulated iron,

dirt, and sediments from the resin bed and to drain.

Backwash is followed by a fast flow of water down

through the resin tank. The fast flow flushes brine

from the bottom of the tank, and packs the resin

bed.
After fast rinse, the water softening system returns

to soft water service.

Soft water

OUT

Salt storage
tank (salt
not shown)

Brine
valve

Hard water
IN

Resin
tank

Resin
bed

Soft water 

OUT

Hard water 
IN

Salt storage tank 

Fill water

Brine
valve

Hard water
bypass OUT

Nozzle &
venturi

Hard water
IN

Brine
valve

Brine

Drain

Drain

Drain

Resin bed
lifted and
expanded

Hard water
bypass OUT

Hard water

IN

Soft water

OUT

Hard water
IN

A video describing important use and care instructions has been included with the product for your use.